Rains destroy crops in northern India

Hoshiarpur (Punjab)/Haldwani (Uttarakhand), April 6 : Recent rainfall in the northern parts of the country has damaged the Rabi crops.

Raging winds accompanied with heavy rainfall has resulted in damaging over 50 per cent of farmers' produce in Punjab.

"I had sowed wheat on around 10 acres of land and more than half of it has been destroyed by the heavy rainfall. Around two to three hundred thousand rupees worth of crops have been destroyed in these rains," said Jaswinder Singh, a farmer.

Farmers are hoping to get some compensation for their losses from the State Government, but according to State Agriculture Minister Sucha Singh it is difficult to compensate for small losses.

"There has not been any heavy rainfall in the region and if such small amounts of rain will start affecting the crops and the farmers, then I think the government will have nothing to do but keep on compensating for such losses to farmers," said Singh.

The condition is no better in Haldwani where hailstorm has destroyed mango and litchi crops in the area.

Unripe mangoes and litchi that once adorned the trees can now be seen scattered on the ground.

"Last year the crop was good but this year over 50 per cent of our fruits are damaged. Rain and hailstorm have destroyed our crops... I've a big family to support, now with my crops damaged, what will I do?" said Harishchandra Bahuguna, orchard owner.

Northern India has been experiencing rainfall accompanied with thunderstorms for last few days. Experts said there is a change in the rainfall distribution pattern this year.

ANI